Farm Service Agency News
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Travis County Farm Service Agency
1106 Clayton Lane
Suite 210E
Austin, TX 78723
512/454-2571
Fax 512/459-5149
County Committee:
Eugene A. Johnson, Chairman
Lanier Bohls, Vice Chairman
Lenora Reimers, Member
Regular meeting every 2nd Thursday of the month.
Appointments
To be fair to all the producers and due to the heavy work load, the office
would appreciate all producers calling to make appointments so that we
can help you more efficiently and so that we can get all payments and
program work out timely.
Foreign
Investors
Foreign persons who buy, sell, or trade land in Travis County must report
such activities to the FSA office within 90 days of transaction. Failure
to file form FSA-153 as required by the Agricultural Foreign Investment
Disclosure Act could result in a fine up to 25% of the fair market value
of the property.
CCC-502
and AD-1026 Requirements
(VERY IMPORTANT)
Producers are reminded that whenever you gain a farm or lose a farm you
must contact the FSA office so that all CCC-502 Payment Limitation forms,
and AD-1026 Highly Erodible forms can be updated. This includes any agricultural
property you have an interest in, including pastures for cattle, hay fields,
or crop fields. This must be done before any payments are made or you
will be ineligible. All producers are reminded that the way you do business
outside the office is how it must be reported in the office and reflected
on your CCC-502 and AD-1026. If you don't report this and insurance forms
or the elevator's grain sheets show a difference with how you report to
this office, you may be ineligible for all program payments and not just
the farm in question.
Loan
Deficiency Program (LDP)
Extended for 2001
Farmers or ranchers not participating in the Farm Program may now be eligible
for an LDP on their 2001 Crop of corn, wheat, milo or oats! Also,
farmers who produced an eligible 2001 crop and retain title to the crop,
but failed to request an LDP timely, are eligible for an LDP.
· If the crop was sold, the rate in effect will be based on the
date of sale.
· Fed commodities will use the rate in effect on the dates the
crop was fed. Provide the office the dates and quantities fed on those
days. Also, provide the animal numbers fed.
· Quantities used for seed will use the LDP rate in effect on the
date the commodity was seeded. Provide the office bushels used and acreage
seeded.
Call for more information.
LDP
Rates
County LDP rates are now available to the public on the internet at www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/psd/ldp
2002
Certification Deadline
for Cotton, Corn and Milo
The final date to timely certify your 2002 cotton, corn and grain sorghum
acres is July 15, 2002. Acreage certification is required to maintain
eligibility for Commodity Loans, LDPs and NAP. Insurance will require
you to have your acres certified in the event of a loss or claim. Don't
wait until the last day, get your acres reported now. Call for an appointment.
We will not take walk-ins. A fee will be assessed for acreage reports
filed after the deadlines. Acreage reports will be mandatory under the
new farm bill.
Non-Insured
Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
NAP covers losses to crops NOT COVERED by Federal Crop Insurance. To be
eligible for NAP, you need to keep the following in mind. This FSA sponsored
program resembles crop insurance in that it was designed to reduce financial
losses resulting from reduced crop yields attributed to natural causes.
File a notice of loss (CCC-576) with the office 15 calendar days after
the disaster condition occurred or damage to the crop became apparent.
An appraisal must be completed prior to destroying the crop or putting
the crop to another use. Production records must be maintained by crop
type and unit. Production records for prior years spring seeded crops,
forage crops and fruits and vegetables need to be submitted to the county
office in order for the production to be used in computing actual production
history for 2002. A payment will be issued when a crop loss exceeds 50%
of your expected production. The NAP payment rate is established at 55%
of the average market price.
Bank
Account Changes
As of January 1, 1999, producers were required to have all FSA payments
electronically transferred into their bank account. In order to make timely
payments, you need to notify the office if you close your account or if
your bank is purchased by another financial institution. Payments can
be delayed if we are not aware of changes to accounts and routing numbers.
Spousal
Signatures
Spouses can sign FSA documents on behalf of each other for most FSA programs
in which either has an interest, unless written notification denying a
spouse this authority has been provided.
Lamb
Meat Adjustment Assistance Program
Producers are eligible for payments of $3 for each feeder lamb and $5
for each slaughter lamb marketed from August 1, 2001 through July 31,
2002. Slaughter lambs must meet the following requirements:
· Owned by operation for 30 days before marketing
· Carcasses must be USDA Quality or Prime
· Carcasses must have Average Choice or better muscling
· Carcasses must have a 55-75 lb. dressed hot carcass weight
The Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance Program (LMAAP) has been extended
through July 31, 2003. Under the extension, FSSA also plans to implement
an ewe lamb payment that will provide incentives for producers to purchase
or retain breeding ewes, expand their herds, and increase the available
supply of domestic lamb meat.
Measurement
Services
If producers are unsure of their crop acreage, measurement services can
be requested for a nominal fee. The following is a list of service fee
rates.
· Ground Measurement - $35.00 for the first plot plus $15.00 for
each plot over one.
· Farm Visits - Not required measurement (drive by only) - $20.00
per farm.
· Crop Appraisal - $50.00 for the first plot plus $30.00 for each
plot over one.
· Bin Measurement - $40.00 for the first bin, plus $15.00 for each
bin over one.
· Late Filed Certification - $35.00 for the first plot plus $15.00
for each plot over one.
· Adjusted Acreage - $35.00 for the first plot plus $15.00 for
each plot over one.
· Verifying Production Evidence - $25.00.
2002
Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs)
VERY IMPORTANT
Producers are reminded that you must have a CCC-709 on file in this office
before you harvest your crop if you intend to sale it on the scale. The
CCC-709 is just for crops that are sold as they go across the scale. You
may file these when you certify. For 2002 all corn, wheat, oats and milo
grown on either a participating or non-participating AMTA farm (The Farm
Program) are eligible for LDP's. You can check LDP prices on the FSA webpage
at www.fsa.usda.gov and selecting Texas in the "Daily LDP Rate"
box.
Graze-Out
LDP for Small Grains
Graze-out payments are available instead of LDPs for eligible producers
who elect to use acreage planted to wheat or oats for grazing livestock,
and agree to forgo any other harvesting of the commodity on the affected
acreage during the applicable crop year.
Sodbuster/Swampbuster
Most programs require compliance with sodbuster/swampbuster provisions.
These provisions require producers to have an approved conservation plan
on all highly erodible land (HEL) and all wet land (WL) prior to planting
an annual crop on the acreage. The program also requires producers to
farm the HEL land in accordance with the approved conservation plan. Be
sure to have determinations made on any new land you plan to plant to
annual crops. If you plan to plant a different crop on your current cropland,
check with NRCS to assure the new crop will qualify under your conservation
plan.
Maintenance
of Program Acres
Producers who are enrolled in the ATM (Farm Program) and have left their
contract acres idle are reminded that they must comply with the following
requirements:
1. Highly Erodible Land (HEL) requirements
2. Carry out maintenance measures to ensure idle contract acres are free
of weeds, and that erosion is controlled.
3. Idle acres may be hayed or grazed the entire year or left idle
These contract acres must be shredded, plowed or sprayed, but they
must be kept clean to collect the Government Payment. Any acres that are
not in compliance will not be paid on until they are back in compliance.
Reminders: How You Report Must be the Same
Producers and owners are reminded to report to us all interest you have
in any farms or acreage. This includes baling hay on shares or cash leasing
a hay meadow to be baled and running cattle on a pasture where someone
else has the cropland leased. Producers are reminded that you cannot
collect the Government payment and then lease the same land to another
producer for hay baling or for grazing, this will make you ineligible
because you must be at risk for the crop.
Producers need to remember to report everything the same to the FSA office as they do it outside the office. This includes: Your shares with insurance must be the same as how you report to us, your settlement sheet for grain must show the same shares as the FSA office. It is recommended that producers check between FSA and your insurance companies to make sure shares are reported the same. Producers will lose out on any 2002 Program payments and disaster payments if their shares are not correct. Now is the time to take care of these things. If a farm has been sold or part of it has been sold, now is the time to report this to the FSA office, because if we are notified after 2002 payments have been made, you will pay money back to us and all further payments will be held until the problem is straightened out. Landowners and producers are responsible for notifying the FSA office of these changes.
Crop
Insurance and FSA Certified Acres
Producers are reminded to turn the same acreage report in to your insurance
agent as you report to the FSA office. How you carry all shares at the
FSA office must be the same at your insurance company, landowners are
reminded to inform their insurance company if there are more than one
owner on a farm. This is very important because all agencies are linked
together and all must show the same correct information. The FSA is working
with insurance to get these problems correct.
Faxed
Signatures
We must have an FSA-237 on file first before we can accept faxed signatures
from all operators or owners. Call and check.
Socially
Disadvantaged Loans
A Socially Disadvantaged (SDA) farmer is from a group whose members have
been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their
identity as members of the group without regard to individual qualities.
For purposes of the SDA Loan Program, socially disadvantaged groups are
women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics,
Asians and Pacific Islanders. SDA Loans are available for farm ownership
and operating loans. Money is specifically targeted to assist these individuals.
SDA farmers must meet loan eligibility requirements as traditional applicants.
SDA farm ownership loans may be used to purchase or enlarge a farm, purchase
easements, erect or improve buildings, and pay closing costs. SDA operating
loan funds may be used to purchase livestock, equipment, feed seed, fuel
fertilizer, chemicals and crop insurance.
Reconstituted
Farms Need Contracts Updated
Federal regulations have been amended to allow producers who did not sign
PFC (AMTA) contracts within 30 days of a farm reconstitution to sign a
PFC (AMTA) and provide supporting documentation by August 1, 2002. The
amended regulations do not authorize the reinstatement of benefits for
prior years. Since 1996, some farms resulting from a reconstitution were
not enrolled in PFC within 30 calendar days following the notification
by this office of completing a farm reconstitution. In such a case pending
PFC acreage has been reduced to zero and the farm became non-participating.
This amendment will allow producers to enroll this acreage on the Agricultural
Market Transition Act Program if a production flexibility contract is
signed and related documents submitted by August 1.
FSA
to Assist Crop Insurance
The Ag Risk Protection Act requires FSA to assist the Risk Management
Agency (RMA) to improve the integrity of the crop insurance program. We
have been asked to monitor the program, report problems to RMA and assist
RMA and the insurance providers when auditing certain claims. FSA will
refer all suspected cases of fraud, waste and abuse to RMA. You are encouraged
to report suspected cases of fraud or abuse to our office. Your information
will remain confidential. We are not involved with the decision making
process. We are merely assisting RMA by gathering facts and reporting
observations as they pertain to weather and crop planting, maintenance
and harvest.
Keep
Good Crop Records
Many of you are as frustrated as we are over the different record keeping
requirements for program eligibility. The Quality Loss Program demonstrated
the need for good forage records. Who knows what future requirements will
bring, but we encourage you to begin keeping good production documentation.
Your records should show.
· .Planting dates, including seeding and fertilizer rates
· Herbicide/insecticide/fungicide applications
· Forage analysis
· Harvest dates and quantities
Be very specific about the quantities harvested. Work closely with your
feed dealers, consultants and the Extension Agents to obtain third party
verification of quantities and quality of harvested forage (tons of lst
cutting, 2nd cutting, grass hay/mixed) Have the verifier sign and date
the inventory documents for your records. You need to ensure your records
are reliable and verifiable. Good record keeping is the key to the USDA
programs.
IMPORTANT
DATES TO REMEMBER
July 15 -Final date to certify corn, grain sorghum, cotton and
all other spring seeded crops.
August 1 -Deadline for 2002 PFCI AMTA signup
August 15 -LMAAP signing deadline
E-File
E-file is part of the USDA's effort to better serve its customers through
the use of computer technology and the Internet. E-file gives customers
access to forms and account information related to USDA programs and allows
them to fill out and submit documents electronically via USDA's eGovernment
Web site, http://www.sc.egov.usda.gov . To submit forms electronically,
customers must first register with the USDA online service application
system by completing and submitting form AD-2016 "USDA Registration
Form Request Electronic Access Code" to the local FSA service center.
This form is available at the above web site or at USDA Service Centers.
E-file resulted from the passage of the Freedom to E-file Act by Congress
in the year 2000. The Act requires USDA to make forms available online
as well as in print by June 20, 2002. The above web site explains more
about E-file.
A producer information meeting about the New Farm Bill will be held when this office has more specific information as per the Bill.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin,
gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation
and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication
of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should
contact USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building,
14th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202)
720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Special accommodations will be made, upon request, for persons with disabilities,
vision impairment, or hearing impairment. If accommodations are required,
please call Tommy Miertschin, CED at 512/454-2571.
